A doctoral student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the Cullen College of Engineering has been selected for a fellowship from a competitive pool of applicants.
Abdulrahman Salah is a Ph.D. candidate mentored by Dimitrios Kalliontzis, an assistant professor in the CEE Department. Salah earned the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Foundation's Fellowship for the 2024-25 academic year.
“I was so excited about winning the scholarship,” he said. “Receiving this fellowship felt like a beam of light on the path I had chosen. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to further my research and the trust placed in me by the ACI Foundation. This fellowship is not just a recognition of my work. It is a promise of the impact we can achieve together in the future of civil engineering. I am thrilled at the prospect of contributing to meaningful advancements in our industry.”
The fellowship comes with a $10,000 educational stipend, as well as recognition in Concrete International magazine. Salah will also be matched with a mentor from industry, and attend the ACI conventions in Philadelphia in November 2024 and Toronto in 2025.
Salah came to the Cullen College of Engineering to pursue his doctorate in Fall 2021.
“The academic environment and the great research history of UH in the field of structural engineering influenced my choice of UH for pursuing a Ph.D.,” he said. “The opportunity to work alongside Professor Kalliontzis, with his profound knowledge, combined with UH's state-of-the-art research facilities, presented a unique synergy that perfectly matched my academic aspirations and research goals in concrete technology.”
He added, “Houston’s welcoming community and my advisor’s unlimited support have made it an ideal place for my doctoral experience and fostering personal growth.”
Salah moved from his home country Yemen after high school to Saudi Arabia, where he earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Umm Al-Qura University and his M.Sc. in structural engineering from King Saud University. He also worked for about four years as a civil engineer before deciding to pursue his advanced degrees. Since 2019, Salah has received authorship credit on seven papers.
“I would like to merge my academic insights with my practical experience to drive forward innovation in concrete technology,” he said. “I see myself not only as a future expert in the field but also as a bridge connecting the latest research findings with practical applications in the industry.”